Fantasy Ireland Adventure: Keeper Hill-Noble Level

KEEPER HILL

A Fantasy Core and D&D 5^th Edition Fantasy Ireland Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Fantasy Ireland Index

Keeper Hill Index

Security Room/Kitchen/Dining/Saloon/Restrooms

Noble Apartments

Chief Enchanter’s Apartment/Mara Keening

Temple/Office/Throne Room/Library

Opera House

King’s Quarters/Jeweled Garden

Long Walk/Crypt/Afterward/Design Notes

NOBLE LEVEL “THE JEWELED GARDEN”

The level is generally richly upholstered (rugs, curtains [even though there weren’t any windows], bedding) and features ornate furniture.  Frescos of the Dwarves’ achievements fill the corridors and rooms.  The level is shockingly intact for the most part, given what happened.  The paint on the walls is flaking with age and a layer of thick dust has settled over everything.  This level is near the top of Keeper Hill.  There are water tanks above this level.  Now the tanks are empty, except when filled by occasional downpours.  There is evidence of some minor flooding from leakage in certain areas.

The Dwarf inhabitants on this level were taken almost completely by surprise by the undead attack.  Powerful undead in the crypt were undetected awakened.  Most of the Nobles were in the Opera House, not enjoying yet another lousy production.  They were trapped, overrun, and converted in short order.  Worse, as many of the Nobles had been partaking of the flesh of the dead during the siege, they became Ghouls in the death.  Dwarf King Braygan (who had excused himself from the opera that night) rallied a brave, but useless defense against the undead.  The delay did allow Chief Enchanter Storg to set up a ward, which locked most of the powerful undead into this level.  These undead would fall into a dormant state of torpor until awoken by the removal of the ward. 

NPC Relations

Oh, boy, this could be complicated.  The party could be a pretty diverse mix of conflicting agendas and personalities at this point, and may get much more volatile over the course of exploring this level.  (Remember those 1 XP and Inspiration awards for good role-playing.)  Of course again, there’s no telling who’s alive at this point, so I’ll just run down several possibilities. 

Billy wants his locket back, but has no idea where it is.  With any evidence, he’ll stop at nothing to get it, even making a deal with the Elves.  He plans on killing Sid the Troll with his acid at the most opportune moment.  He’s also pretty sure that “Grey Moon” is in fact the infamous Doppelganger, a well known mercenary.  He wants to know who It’s working for before killing It.  He’ll make sure “Grey Moon” in on point and always in front of him.  In the meantime, they’re worthwhile allies.

Sid knows Billy intends on killing him, but doesn’t think he’s capable, not knowing about that acid stash.  (He will run in a panic as soon as he gets hit by it.)  Sid plans on killing Billy after they find the treasure and then leaving with as much as he can carry.  He’ll come back with his Orc clan later to clean it out and take over Keeper Hill.  The Doppelganger is looking for an escape, but really wants a look at whatever treasure might be there, so that It can report back to his Lord Sogore, who will return in force.  It just needs a distraction (like an undead ambush) and a quick change of form to take off.  Oh, and Sam the Gargoyle is going to sit back and let everyone whack each other.  He’ll access his situation depending on who’s left and what condition they’re in.    

All of these Formorians consider the Characters or the Elves completely expendable.  (Likewise, all the Formorians are too for story purposes by this point.)  However, none of them want to start trouble with the Sons of Mil or the Tuatha De Danann.  Billy, Sid, or Sam will let them have some treasure and send them on their way.  Billy and Sam still owe the Characters for helping them clean out their home of undead.  Finding Mara and that locket on this level, however, may put Billy and the Characters directly at odds with each other. 

Apollos and the Elves are in it for a share of the possible loot, but not to the death.  Certainly the centaur is still looking for an escape from the Elves.  If wiped out, their Crystal Ball starts sending a distress signal.  Prince Alex and a squad of Elves will raid Keeper Hill to get the Elves’ bodies back.  (You can set the timing on that as you will.)  Lastly, Sean Robbins the Bard (who might have actually been part of the party all this time) has been carefully (and invisibly) trailing the Characters, hoping they’ll find Billy’s locket (while never helping).  If the locket gets revealed at some point, Sean will pick his moment and make a play for it.  If he can get the locket, he will call out Nim’s name.  His sword will glow and Sean will disappear.

Undead Tactics

Three Mummies control the undead.  They’re not able to control all of them at the same time, and they’re not tactical geniuses to begin with.  Further, the Mummies are not all working with the same strategy.  They also cannot leave this level, as they are more or less bound to their tombs.  During the original invasion, the Mummies and Wights quickly overran this level and sent forces into the rest of the complex.  The Wights created Zombies out of the inhabitants, who were sent back to the Mummies, who would turn them into more Wights.  The Dwarves’ Chief Enchanter Storg managed to craft and deploy a ward stone that blocked the entrance so that the Wight production stopped.

The Mummies are now working somewhat against each other, taking control of groups of undead for their own protection (and they’re cowards).  So, there’s not going to be any coordination between the undead this time.  Also, the undead here, except for the Mummies, are fairly weak, but numerous.  Don’t worry about conflict though.  The most dangerous enemy the party may ultimately face may be themselves and their differing agendas.

[In spite of the room numbering, there is no one “correct” path through this level.  Don’t force anything.  It’s been roughly divided into three zones of control, corresponding to the different Mummies.]